With the work-from-home setup, getting a great cup of coffee isn’t as convenient as before. We don’t really have a lot of options unlike the countless coffee shops surrounding office buildings. And for me, coffee is a need — a necessity 🤪

In this blog post, I’ll share with you my coffee corner, and how I started brewing my own coffee.

Since the nearest coffee shop near me was a Starbucks, I decided to give their french press a try. I also bought their current limited edition beans at that time which is from Da Lat, Vietnam and their vanilla flavoured syrup.

I think french press is where most people start their brewing journey as it’s the equipment that’s easiest to use and the most highly available as well. You just have to submerge your ground coffee for a short amount of time (if you use hot water) and you’ll get a decent brew.

The next upgrade that I had was the moka pot and I can say it’s very interesting to use. It produces a faux espresso since the coffee also goes through a pressurized chamber. Moka pots require patience as well as your full attention – it’s all about timing as it’s very easy to get your coffee burnt. 😆

I got this moka pot directly from Italy via Garampi’s Taste of Italy. Along it, I also got a Bialetti cappuccino mug and Bialetti delicato coffee grounds.

For my last upgrade (hopefully), I decided to get an espresso machine and got the Delonghi Dedica. What I like the most about it is it’s slim design which saves a lot of counter space. It is also compatible with ESE (easy-serve-espresso) pods – for those lazy days.

Moreover, it’s very easy to use and much more hassle-free compared to how I make coffee using the moka pot. If I’m not mistaken, it’s also the cheapest Delonghi espresso machine that has a stainless steel body. It can pull 1 or 2 espresso shots, and create a decent cappuccino using it’s wand.

Let’s now talk about grinders. Initially, I started with the Timemore C2 Chestnut which is a manual grinder and a great one to start with. Now, I am using the Timemore Grinder Go and it’s a portable electric grinder with a titanium coated burr.

Grinders are essential because freshly ground coffee compared to pre-ground produces a lot better coffee in general (it’s about the oxidation and CO2 depletion which you can research since I’m not really an expert lol). You can also experiment with the appropriate grind size for your equipment if you have a grinder at hand.

Next would be my coffee scale which I also got from Timemore, the Timemore Black Mirror Plus. I started with a normal kitchen scale but the black mirror plus is a lot more responsive plus it can also be used as a timer. A scale and timer is necessary for you to accurately measure how much coffee you are using and for how long you are brewing.

Before I share with you the supplementary items that I bought, I’ll first show you the default portafilter and plastic scoop/tamper that comes with Delonghi Dedica machine. You can use these as is but I decided to buy their upgraded versions.

I have here the bottomless portafilter, coffee distributor, and the tamper.  I got all of these from Dolity in Shopee including the wooden holder.

The bottomless portafilter improves your espresso’s consistency and it also adds a lot more crema compared to the regular portafilter – and more crema, more flavor.

I also bought this espresso measuring glass from the same shop just so I can see my shots clearly 😅 Other things I missed were the: milk frothing jug (also a must), dosing funnel, and syrups.

Say hi to my coffee corner! It’s finally complete after buying one equipment/upgrade at a time for more than a year. I was also unsure on where to start before, but after joining this Facebook group: Coffee Home Brewers, all my questions have been answered.

If you have coffee questions, drop it in the comments section below and I’ll do my best to answer them. Til next time and sana laging masarap ang kape nyo,